Dirigible airship



April 26 1927 1,625,951

V vv. LEMON DIBIGIBLE AIRSHIP Filed oops, 1925 2 Sheetssneet 1 y@ Fi El 'Tol April 26,1927.

W. LEMON y DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP Filed 0G12. 6, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CFI Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES" PA TEN 'I'` Oi FFI i WARREN LEMON, 0F sT. Louis, MISSOURI.

nI-nIe-IBLE AIRSHIP.

Applicatonled October 6, 41925.

This invention relatesto a novel form of ilirigible-airship, and1r the principal objects of the invention areto provide an airship having aplurality of gas-bags disposed in a superimposed relation with eacli other7 thereby arranging thelongest axis of the airshipin a vertical plane and enabling said airship .to-occupy lminimum ground space in order 'to facilitate Vthe, descending and-Y ascendingf thereof withoutsacrifieing the lift ing yor carrying-capacity of same Further objects of the `invention are tow arrange said gas-bags` orlmembers indepentlyofl each otherwher'eby theinjury or incapacity 'of one Aor more of said members will` not` disable saidf airship but Awill pei mit it toland safely.

Still further objects of theinvention aretofpi'ovidepanairshipwith a plurality of horizontally disposed propellers for dri-ving the airshippand toprovidea vertically dis posed propeller forfacilitating the ascendinglof the -airship and enabling it to rise in a-vertical plane when leaving the landing.`

1With these andotherobjects .in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction' Aand arrangementof parts, hereinafter more full'ydescribed and claim ed, and illustrated in Mtheaccompanying drawings, in which#- Figure- 1 is an enlarged sideelevational Figure 6 visa horizontalcross section' tak-4 @ma im as of ,Figure i Figure? visa detail. View of which operates the 4cable used for? displacing 1v the rudder.' i Figure@ is a detail vie'w showing the flexible connection between one end ofits gas y Briefly-stated, the-airsh-i-p consists of a ser-ies ofr gaS bagsfarrange'd iii-a vertical row and; secured `to a suitable? frainework,A the lower end-ofwliich fcarries a car' in whichlY is mountedftheengine lutilized fordriving 1 thepropel-le-rs oftlie- 'airshipi- I do; notwish "to-confine myself-to `any'speciiio form of-- framework or specific construction ofthe gas la pulleyi over E tofrainwork Y 14 so? vthat--tlierudderJ 1.28l f and Serial No. 60,749.

bags asany suitable -forin' or construction may be used. y The gas maybeadmitted to the bagsin any conventionalniethod and for ling` the same are shownv or described.

Referring by numerals to"` the accompany; ing drawings, 10 indicates a series; ofrgas bags arranged in?superimposed'relation and spaced apart a suitable distance. Eachof these members which are of'ovoidal shape are attached at theirends by suitablecon-` nections 11 and 12to a framework 14 which extends-upwardly and car-riesfatA its lower end a car 15 containing "am enginefrl. A

- shaft 17 drivenby-saidengine lis operatively connected to a vertically disposed shaft 18 which is disposed preferably centrally of the framework and a vertically? arrangedshaft 19 which is arranged rearwardly of said framework and is supported inv bearings 2O fixed to' said framework.

Housings 21 "are'secured to framework 14 and? extend rearwardly-therefrom and have mounted therein horizontally disposed shafts 22-whicharefoperatively" connected'to the verticallyt disposed shaft l19 and? carryfpr pellers 24 which are designed to drive-the ship forward'.` There are preferably four of these housings 21 and lpropellers l24 spaced "suitable distances apart froml -each fothe'r as shown in Figure 3.

Shaft 18- extends through and has a bearing in casting 25-and carries Vatits upper end a propeller 26, which latteri'is disposed a suitable distance below the lowermost gas bag 10 and is Autilized in ascending. Shafts 18 and 19areicontrol1ed in any suitable `manner bylevers 27 varranged in car 15; whereby either one of said shafts may ibeconnected andl disconnected froinfthe engine-'shaft-17.

AV rudder; 28l extends-rearwardlyfromthe aiisl'iipvand is carriedaby a suitable framen work- 29 which is `pivotallycoiiiiected:=at: 30

frame 29- whenf not .fin-i-useff-inaybe'folded against said framework 14 by'` ineansl' of a cable-31s,-onei endl-ofwhicli isfconn'ected at 32 to frame 29 and the oppositefendvofwhich Ais connectedto a pulley 84-arranged1in car '151 where it may be conveniently operated bythe operator. l

Al-pulley 35 'isi-journaledisinga suitable "bearing-36 whichy latter is `fiXed-toi .framework "14 atta suitable pointfabove ypivotal connection ,304 and-loable 31 operates-'over said-pulleyv yFrame 29 preferably consists of two spaced members which converge toward the rudder 28, the upper member 29a being pivotally connected at 30 and the lower member 29h has its ends resting against the rear uprights of framework 14, as shown in Figure 4. Said ends are preferably provided with pins 36 adapted to enter apertures 37 formed in said upright-s. Projecting laterally from each end of members 29b are pins or rollers 38 which operate in curved slots 39 of arcuate arms 40. These arms are fixed toframework 14 and curve rearwardly and upwardly eoncentrically with pivotal points 30 and form bearings and guides for the ends of frame members 29h.

Fra-me 29 is preferably jointed as at 29 to allow swinging movement of rudder 28 in horizontal direction which is accomplished by a cable 29d operatively connected to the rudder section of frame 29 and extending to suitable steering mechanism located in car 15.

The rear supporting1 connections 12 of members 10 comprise an end plate 41 secured to the rear end of each member 10 and said end plate has an axial extension 42 which is slidably mounted in bearings 43 carried by the rear portion of framework 14. A coiled spring 44 is placed on extension 42 and is interposed between end plate 4l and bearing 40 and permits yielding movement of member 42; Car 15 is preferably provided with wheels 45 by means of which the airship can be moved on the ground.

The provision of a plurality of gas bags and arrangement thereof in vertical plane permits the use of the airship and also permits descending and ascending of the airship in streets or in narrow areas.

The division of the gas containers into a series of independent and comparatively small gas bags provide-s for `greater safety and the damage to one or more gas bags will not incapacitate the airship.

My improved airship is a combined helicopter and an airship and can be operated to move in a substantially vertical plane as in ascending and descendingr and forward.

-The construction is such as to enable the airship to require very little space when moving in vertical direction without limitin g the carrying capacity thereof.

I claim:

l. In a dirigible airship, the combination of `a rigid framework, a plurality of gas bags supported by said framework in superimposed relation, a car carried by the lower end of said framework, horizontally disposed propellers mounted in said framework for propelling said airship, a horizontally disposed frame pivotally supported on said framework and extending rearwardly therefrom, and a rudder operatively mounted on y ground.

said frame for steering said airship, said frame having operative connection with said framework for permitting the displacement of said frame and rudder in a vertical plane in close proximity to said framework.

2.` In a dirigible airship, the combination of aframework, a plurality of gas containers arranged in a vertical row in said frame work, a car carried by the lower end of said framework, a series of horizontally disposed propellers arranged in said framework for driving said airship, a vertically disposed propeller mounted in said f'amework for propelling said airship in a vertical plane, a. rudder for steering said airship, and a frame pivotally connected to said framework and ea 1rying said rudder, said frame being operable to occupy displaced position in close proximity to said framework so as to reduce the space occupied by said airship while on the ground.

3. In a dirigible airship, the combination of a framework, a plurality of gas containers arranged in a vertical row in said framework, a car carried by the lower end of said framework, a series of horizontally disposed propellers arranged in said framework for driving said airship, a vertically disposed propeller mounted in said framework for propelling said airship in a vertical plane, a rudder for said airship, a frame pivotally connected to said framework and carrying said rudder, said frame being operable to occupy displaced position in close proximity to said framework so as to reduce the space occupied by said airsliip while on the ground, and means for positioning said rudder in said frame. Y

4. In a dirigible airship, the combination of a rigid framework, a plurality of gas bags supported by said framework in superimposed relation, a car carried by the lower end of said framework, a series of horizontally disposed propellers spaced in a vertical plane relative toeach other and mounted in said framework for propelling said airship, a horizontally disposed frame pivotally supported on said framework and extending rearwardly therefrom, a rudder carried by said frame for steering said airship, and means operable from said car for movingr said frame on its pivot from a horizontal extended position intoa vertical position against said framework so as to reduce the space occupied by said airship when on 5. In a dirigible airship, the combination of a rigid framework, a plurality of gas bags su ported by said framework in superimposed) relation, a car carried by the lower end of said framework, a series of horizontally disposed propellers spaced in a vertical plane relative to each other and mounted in said framework for propelling said airship, a horizontally disposed frame pivotally supported on said framework and extending rearwardly therefrom, a rudder carried by said frame for steering said airship, means operable from said car for moving said frame on its pivot lfrom horizontal extended position into a vertical position against said framework so as to reduce th-e space occupied by said airship when on ground, and arcuate members fixed to said framework c0ncentrically with the pivotal mounting` of said 10 frame and engageable by the latter at points spaced from the mounting for guiding and supporting said frame.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiX my signature this 2nd day of October, 1925.

WARREN LEMON. 

